RSVP for Globalization and America's Trade Agreements

While the United States has benefited tremendously from trade agreements in the past, a number of political and structural challenges raise the question of whether trade will remain a key driving force for growth. There are currently two major deals that are moving toward completion. If successful, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic Trade Investment Partnership (TTIP) will fundamentally reshape the international trade landscape. TPP and TTIP may also be the foundation for future trade pacts, including further negotiations in the World Trade Organization.

In his book Globalization and America’s Trade Agreements, Wilson Center senior scholar and former assistant U.S. trade representative William Krist assesses the effect of trade deals on the U.S. and the world over the past three decades. He also outlines a way forward to ensure that pending agreements can promote the national interests of the United States.

Former assistant secretary of the Treasury for international affairs and director emeritus of the Peterson Institute for International Economics C. Fred Bergsten will join as a discussant.